SerpApi.Org
Dr. Beachgem tells PEOPLE how families can stay safe in the sun
NEED TO KNOW
- Dr. Beachgem sees all kinds of injuries through her practice, but during the summer, drownings are some of the most persistent
- “We see almost a drowning a day,” the pediatric emergency room doctor tells PEOPLE of the summer months. “We deal with a lot of water-based injuries”
- Dr. Beachgem shares three ways that families can stay safe while out in the water
Dr. Beachgem sees all kinds of injuries through her practice, but during the summer, drownings are some of the most persistent.
“We see almost a drowning a day,” the pediatric emergency room doctor tells PEOPLE of the summer months. “We deal with a lot of water-based injuries.”
Dr. Beachgem started working as an ER doctor in St. Petersburg, Fla., roughly a decade ago. But over the last few years, she’s gained a sizable following on Instagram and TikTok, where she’s shared stories from the job, personal updates and basic safety advice so families can avoid a trip to the ER.
And naturally, she makes a lot of content about water safety.
“Drowning is preventable 100% of the time, but it’s something that can happen quickly,” she says. “It’s something that happens very quietly, and so it’s something that does happen unfortunately frequently.”
As for the cases Dr. Beachgem sees, there is a wide spectrum: Some are fatal, some are not, and among the nonfatal cases, some leave the patient unscathed while others can cause long-term developmental issues.
To prevent a child drowning case, Dr. Beachgem recommends “layers of protection between the child and the water” — meaning having multiple methods of reducing risk to prevent any kind of accident.
The first, she says, is to put kids in swim lessons as soon as they are old enough. She says Infant Swimming Resource (ISR), a water survival program for kids, can be “helpful.”
Second, Dr. Beachgem recommends that all pools have fences around them, so young ones cannot accidentally wander into them when an adult isn’t watching. And pool fences, she adds, should be self-closing, high enough, and always shut when the pool isn’t in use. Similarly, the door to the pool should have a lock and an alarm.
Finally, Dr. Beachgem recommends that there is a sober adult supervising anytime a kid is in the pool — “focused at all times.”
While the summer months bring risks of drowning, there are other safety concerns to keep in mind. Namely: sunburns.
“It’s important to make sure that anytime that we go outside, especially in Florida, your skin is covered with something — sunscreen, a hat, long-sleeved shirt,” says Dr. Beachgem.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
She also says she’s seen an increasing number of e-bike injuries in recent years, and it’s incredibly important for young ones to wear a helmet, know the rules of the road and plan to follow them.
“And if they can’t, they’re not responsible enough to have a bike,” she adds.
And, of course, with the heat always comes the risk of heat exhaustion and dehydration — so it’s important to have water and beverages like Gatorade with extra electrolytes to stay hydrated.
“It is really, really hot out there,” she says. “You’re sweating more than you realize, and it’s really easy to get behind on fluids.”
Read the original article on People
